The desert can do strange things to a person. Films and books have chronicled the arduous ventures individuals have taken across the hellish terrain. For the characters in Samuel Parker’s book, “Purgatory Road,” redemption may be found at the end of that journey.

“Purgatory Road,” released Tuesday, is the tale of a couple who become stranded in the Mojave Desert and are rescued by an enigmatic hermit. Meanwhile, a young runaway girl is kidnapped and taken out into the wilderness. The storylines eventually become entwined, engaging the reader in a tale of suspense, murder and personal struggle.

“I’m into suspense, but I don’t like the gore,” Parker said, clarifying he prefers to have some of the action happen off-stage.

“I’ve been writing since the second grade. I had a second grade teacher who was really encouraging.”

He continued to develop his talent by writing songs for a local band he played in, which had several gigs in Bay City. Although Parker enjoyed writing, he never did it for the prestige. Writing was, and still continues to be, a joy for him.

“I like to write solely for writing. Most of the time it’s enough,” he said.

The idea for “Purgatory Road” was the result of a variety of influences, the main one being a trip Parker and his wife took shortly after their sons were born. They flew into Las Vegas and rented a car for a bit of sightseeing.

“We just were driving around in the desert, stopped at Red Rock Canyon, saw Hoover Dam. ...I love the desert, the high plains area. It’s just really liberating.”

Parker was also inspired by a John Dunne sonnet, “Batter my heart, three-person’d God,” which depicts a person calling for God to bend and break him in order to make him anew. The character of Boots, a desert hermit, can be viewed as the invisible force, “good but brutal, hard-edged,” according to Parker.

Readers who have received early copies of the book rate Boots as their favorite character, despite his rugged appearance and peculiar quirks. Initially, Parker based the hermit’s personality on an old man in his childhood neighborhood in Pinconning who lived alone. He and the mystery that hung about him fascinated the local children.

“When you grow up in a small town, you see a lot of interesting people,” Parker reflected.

The characters’ own journeys, both physical and moral, are relatable to readers and help bring the audience into the harsh landscape they find themselves in. Parker emphasized that he focused primarily on the story and character development first instead of consciously invoking an idea. Nevertheless, messages of perseverance, courage and morality shine through the pages.

“I tried to emphasize that a person can be flawed and also be redeemed. Hopefully the readers see that by the end (the main character) Jack’s progressed a few steps.”

Parker wrote a draft of the story in 2009. Initially, he shared his manuscript with friends and it eventually caught the eye of a publicist, who began the editing process. However it became more of a burden than a joy to Parker, so he set it aside. In 2015 a friend asked if the story was still around and offered a contract.

“I was in a different frame of mind,” Parker explained. “A lot of it is keeping the pressure off and keeping my own pace.”

The finished book is divided into five parts, each containing short chapters, some only one or five pages long. The frequent breaks, according to Parker, allow the reader to engage in the story for short periods and put the book down when they reach a break in the text.

“I wrote it like how I would like to read it,” he said.

Parker’s work eventually paid off. He recently took a trip to a Barnes & Noble store that had received early copies of the book. Seeing his work on the shelves was “the most wonderful feeling in the world,” said Parker.

Parker recently finished a draft of his second novel, a stand-alone from “Purgatory Road,” which will be released in 2018. In the meantime, he will be visiting Barnes & Noble in Saginaw, 3311 Tittabawassee Road, to sign books at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21.

“The Tri-City area (always) feels like home when I go back,” Parker said.

Those interested may purchase a book through Barnes & Noble or Amazon. Parker can be contacted via Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/Samuelparkerauthor/